City of Beaufort - Investing in Our Future: Youth Initiatives for a Safe and Vibrant Community
In 2023, the City of Beaufort analyzed its “shots fired” incidents and found that many of them concentrated around multifamily apartment complexes. Aiming to reduce these incidents, the city’s police department, fire department, and capital projects team worked together on an initiative to reengage residents, especially youth, through special events hosted by each department. The Future Guardians Initiative hosted by Beaufort police fostered leadership and community service; the fire department’s Sparking Embers program encourages civic involvement of girls in grades 7 to 12, and the capital projects team developed Southside Park, an inclusive city park and playground, where most of the events took place.
Funding came from strategic budget allocations as well as community partner grant funds secured by the police department. The Southside Park Phase I Project received funding through a hospitality and tourism bond, as well as from SC Parks and Recreation Development Fund grants.
Contact Ashley Brandon at abrandon@cityofbeaufort.org or 843.941.0997.
Town of Bluffton - The Squire Pope Carriage House: A 200-year Witness to Bluffton’s History, Rehabilitated Into the Town’s Welcome Center
Dating to 1850, the iconic but deteriorated Squire Pope Carriage House, located just off the May River faced the prospect of demolition in 2017, when the Town of Bluffton purchased it to preserve the structure and use it as a new Welcome Center.
Funding came from hospitality and local accommodations taxes, a grant from the SC Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, and a matching grant from the SC Department of Archives & History. The town worked with contractors and partners such as the Savannah College of Art and Design SCADPro Program and local volunteers to design the Welcome Center. Along with opening the restored home in 2025, the town further developed the adjacent public greenspace known as Wright Family Park, allowing greater access to the May River. The efforts helped preserve a key piece of Bluffton’s history where residents and tourists can experience its unique cultural heritage.
Contact Debbie Szpanka at dszpanka@townofbluffton.com or 843.540.2274.
City of Columbia - Planning and Development Outreach and Engagement
Columbia’s city council tasked city staff with providing greater transparency in the sometimes-overwhelming development approval process. Working to provide accurate and timely information to the public, the city streamlined its communications by publishing monthly and annual reports and e-newsletters highlighting development trends, board appointments, new ordinances, planning processes, and other updates in an easily digestible format. The city also established a Development Deep Dive presentation series held biannually to provide helpful information in an in-person session. Recorded sessions are posted online to reach a larger audience.
This multi-departmental initiative involved Planning and Development Services working with the Public Relations team to create videos, maintain the city’s website and distribute information. Marketing materials followed the graphic templates established in Columbia’s Comprehensive Planning process as well as the city’s new branding, creating clarity and consistency.
Contact Krista Hampton at krista.hampton@columbiasc.gov or 803.545.3425.
City of Florence - Overcoming Communications Challenges One Conversation at a Time
Aiming to bring more transparency and understanding of local government to its residents while reducing misinformation, the City of Florence launched City University in 2023. This civics academy offers two courses annually covering municipal operations. Florence’s marketing and communications department worked closely with other departments to help provide factual information that would facilitate dialogue among constituents. City University offers seven sessions of 90 minutes each, capped at 25 participants. Off-site classes also take place, along with a city-organized bus tour to highlight current projects.
With a minimal budget, the program is fully funded through existing budgets, by creative use of city staff, resources and interdepartmental collaboration. The city successfully achieved its goals of fostering transparency, educating residents of city operations and building trust while furthering civil engagement. As the program continues, the city will proactively invite residents who have expressed frustration and distrust through social media and other channels.
Contact Amanda Pope at apope@cityofflorence.com or 843.665.3113.
Town of Fort Mill - Fort Mill Connections E-Newsletter
As local newspapers and media coverage of municipal government has declined, the Town of Fort Mill addressed the need for stronger communication of the town’s projects, meetings and events. To achieve this goal, the town’s communications and marketing manager created the Fort Mill Connections newsletter with input from the town manager and every town department. The monthly publication includes business and town news, event recaps, stories about Fort Mill residents and businesses, and links to town information and social media.
With an initial subscriber list of 265, the newsletter has grown its audience to 2,180 in three years. An email blast service allows the town to distribute the e-newsletter at minimal cost, with the only expense being the work hours put in by city staff. With the proven success of the e-newsletter, Fort Mill is looking to include more video content and surveys, and to expand its reach to the greater community.
Contact Christopher Sardelli at csardelli@fortmillsc.gov or 803.992.0021.
City of Greenville - Black History Bus Tour
Wanting to ensure that its local Black history is preserved and shared with younger generations, the City of Greenville’s Communications and Engagement Department developed a Black History Tour through research and interviews. It launched in February 2024.
The bus tour, made possible through a partnership with Greenlink, included 14 stops along the bus route, highlighting landmarks that played a role in the history of segregation and the civil rights movement. Guests received a map, guide and folder with historical descriptions in a branded tote bag. The city also made the tour’s materials available through a website and videos. The tour event sold out within a few days, attracting visitors from across the Carolinas. VisitGreenvilleSC funded and printed the self-guided tours booklets. With the success of the 2024 tours, the city is offering three tours in 2025.
Contact Beth Brotherton at bbrotherton@greenvillesc.gov or 864.270.5545.
City of Greer - ForGreer
As the City of Greer prepared for several major capital projects for public safety, recreation and downtown accessibility, all costing $100 million, it knew it wanted to communicate about them effectively and transparently. Using in-house resources, its economic development and communications teams worked together on the ForGreer branding initiative — four projects breaking ground in four years. The campaign has its own logo, style guide, website, print materials and branded “swag,” establishing a recognizable brand and inviting public involvement and collaboration in the efforts.
Using multiple tactics to spread the word about the project goals, the ForGreer initiative also set up media events and in-person community gatherings with city leadership and made use of social media platforms. The first project broke ground in February 2025, and the initiative will continue through the completion of the last project.
Contact Ayla Fitzpatrick at afitzpatrick@cityofgreer.org or 864.423.8004.
Town of Irmo - Rawls Creek Park: Where Innovation Meets Recreation
With Rawls Creek Park, the Town of Irmo transformed an unused nine-acre tennis court site into a vibrant community greenspace. The new facility includes dog parks for small and large breeds, a community garden, a skate park and a walking trail. The town allocated almost $2 million over three years from its hospitality and general fund reserves to fund the project, as well as a grant secured from the SC Park and Recreation Development Fund.
Both the town and the Richland County Recreation Commission collaborated with residents to identify needs that could be filled by the park.
The community-driven creation of Rawls Creek Park incorporates the town’s strategic goals of enhancing the quality of life for its residents, stimulating local economic growth, fostering a strong sense of community, and promoting environmental sustainability. The park will host several upcoming community events and is planned to add an inclusive playground.
Contact Danielle McNaughton at dmcnaughton@townofirmosc.com or 803.781.7050 x109.
Town of Lexington - The Reimagining of Virginia Hylton Park
Although the Town of Lexington kept Virginia Hylton Park well-maintained and a centerpiece of downtown since its opening in 1991, it nonetheless wanted to expand the park with a more inclusive design. After breaking ground on renovations in 2022, it has since doubled the park in size, adding walking paths, a new entrance and updated playground equipment. The new version of the park also boasts a splash pad, performance pavilion and a GaGa Ball pit. The carefully designed renovations also modernized the park’s features to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.
The project’s planning process sought the input of many community stakeholders, ranging from children to caregivers of children with special needs to community groups and public meeting participants. Funding was made possible through the procurement of federal grants, bond proceeds, impact fees and donations. The town is now considering the addition of public art, workout equipment and trail connections.
Contact Rachelle Gleaton at rgleaton@lexsc.gov or 803.917.0689.
Town of Mount Pleasant - Rooted in Resilience: Sustainable Solutions for Stormwater Challenges
Mount Pleasant faced growing challenges from stormwater runoff, straining infrastructure and impacting water quality and the natural environment. The Town of Mount Pleasant conceptualized sustainable solutions and partnerships to address all of these issues. It adopted a Low-Impact Development program to incentivize sustainable development. It also established a Take Root tree-planting initiative as well as water quality improvement programs, helping it build resilience with its existing and future stormwater infrastructure in mind. The effort distributed more than 5,000 trees to help with stormwater absorption while increasing the tree canopy.
The town leveraged strategies that had no cost, such as citizen-driven ordinance adoption and volunteer-based initiatives. Public-private partnerships made the Take Root program possible and the LID program is a self-sustaining incentive-based program benefiting developers who maintain the ordinances’ standards. Town-led efforts such as wetland critical-line buffers, oyster reef rebuilding and a plastics and environmentally acceptable packaging ordinance have all helped improve water quality.
Contact Eric LaFontaine at elafontaine@tompsc.com or 843.901.1649.
Town of Pendleton - Village Hills Redevelopment TIF District
When a developer proposed a revitalization of a blighted historic area, the Town of Pendleton enacted its Village Hills Small Area Plan, conceptualizing the redevelopment of a Tax Increment Financing district to include a mixed-use plan of residential, commercial and recreational spaces.
The TIF district makes funds available for upgraded infrastructure such as water, sewer and electrical services. It also made a new fire station possible, improving public safety response time. The district also received repaved roads and new sidewalk construction for greater walkability.
Partnerships with stakeholders, the input of town council, town staff, developers, a steering committee and the planning commission all contributed to the launch of the TIF district. The next phase of the plan includes a design ordinance that will further enhance the town’s vision for its overall architecture while preserving its historic integrity.
Contact Steve Miller at stevem@townofpendleton.org or 864.502.4485.
City of Simpsonville - Simpsonville Municipal Complex
As the City of Simpsonville grew, it faced outdated and overcrowded buildings for its police and fire departments, and its city hall. In 2021, the city envisioned a new municipal complex adjoining the existing City Park. It would build new police and fire stations, a new city hall, consolidate the Simpsonville Municipal Court with the South Greenville Summary Court, sell the former city hall site on Main Street for future development, and update the aging City Park.
This new Simpsonville Municipal Complex was funded in part through Installment Purchase Revenue Bonds and Hospitality and Accommodations Tax Revenue Bonds, American Rescue Plan Act funding, the city’s Capital Improvement Fund, and city fund balance. City council hired design firms to work alongside it and city staff to design the proposed buildings and to enhance existing sites. The funds were allocated efficiently, establishing a single campus where the public can access all city services.
Contact Tee Coker at tee@simpsonville.com or 864.967.5404.
City of Spartanburg - Hello Family Spartanburg
Launched in 2021, Hello Family Spartanburg addresses barriers to early childhood development, focusing on health, wellbeing and education. Developed with the understanding that two out of five Spartanburg children live in poverty, this program identifies the needs that many families face and work strategically with community partners to overcome those challenges.
The City of Spartanburg partnered with the Institute for Child Success to identify 12 services needed to improve outcomes. This was refined to four through a feasibility study funded by the Social Innovation Fund to find the services most suitable for a “Pay for Success” financing plan. Through innovative partnerships with stakeholders, the city generated over $50 million in new investments for the effort.
Goals included reducing avoidable emergency room visits, increasing school readiness, decreasing maltreatment cases and reducing low birth weights. This innovative approach aligns with the city’s mission to improve education and greater overall quality of life for residents.
Contact Kaitlin Watts at kwatts@instituteforchildsuccess.org or 864.867.1336 x820.
Town of St. Matthews - Renovation of Old National Guard Armory Into a New Fire Station
As the Town of St. Matthews has grown, it developed a need for a larger, modernized fire station to serve its community efficiently. It decided to pursue a major renovation project to repurpose the former National Guard Armory Motor Pool into a building housing its fire department.
Included in the plan were new living quarters, gathering spaces and training rooms. To secure funding for the project, the town secured $750,000 in state appropriated funds for the project. Through careful planning and a reevaluation at the design process to align with the existing budget, the first phase was completed. The town plans to expand the training site to incorporate firefighting props, enhancing the fire department’s overall skills training.
Contact Rosyl Warren at warrenr@townofstmatthews.com or 803.874.2405.
City of Sumter - Keep Sumter Clean – 2024 Junk Removal
As the City of Sumter sought to reduce illegal dumping, it found that many residents lacked the means to transport bulky junk items to local landfills. It established the Keep Sumter Clean Curbside Junk Removal Program, a one-time service that helped residents dispose of any bulky household items like mattresses, furniture and appliances.
Sumter’s Communications Department facilitated a robust community outreach campaign for the effort using radio, newspaper, text messaging, social media, email and print mail. A dedicated landing page on the city’s website with a custom URL, www.KeepSumterClean.com, further marketed the event. Contingency funds were used so no outside funding was necessary.
Because of the program’s success, the city extended the service for an additional week, removing a total of 1.2 million pounds of debris. The city plans to provide an annual “Junk Removal Week” to continue to promote clean community spaces for all to enjoy.
Contact Shelley Kile at skile@sumtersc.gov or 803.795.2463.
City of York - York Connected: Fostering Community Through Transparency and Engagement
The City of York worked to revamp its communication efforts after community surveys revealed the need for greater transparency. It developed a strategic communication plan outlining clear goals and objectives, including the creation of a quarterly newsletter, updated annual reporting of city goals, budgets and crime statistics, the launch of a Civic Academy Pilot Program and greater leveraging of media platforms.
Project goals included improving access to information, building trust and increasing community engagement. City staff and leadership worked together to collect data, gather reports and partner with local media to continue its reach. The city also collaborated with CivicsEDU Academy, which allowed residents an outlet to share insights directly with York City Council. The city’s budget report received a Government Finance Officers Association award for its clarity and transparency.
These strategic partnerships not only strengthened the city’s communications efforts but also allowed for building trust through more transparency and fostering greater civic engagement.
Contact Sarah Ramirez at sramirez@yorksc.gov or 803.818.0089.